Stoner Pizza (or American Hikikomori)

By Jack Sholl

Tommy, Rafael, Edward and Grant---servers at Stoner Pizza---are economically, psychologically, and socially trapped in a life maze they didn’t create nor understand. They’re second generation high school and college dropouts immersed in an unrelenting algorithm-driven computer-technology in a society cascading in a downward spiral of dumbing down and continued compromise.

Pizza Stoners like Tommy, Rafael, Edward and Grant live at home with their parents, never leave their room except for the most minimal of part-time jobs---antisocials lost in a blizzard of computers, TV, Internet technology, entertainment and porn all mixed together.

The Pizza Stoner, like his Japanese cousin, the Hikikomori, is the product of decades of economic recession, stagnation and despair--- the wasted generation of Japan--- not educated, unemployed, not trained or trainable in a society going nowhere. The symbol of this class is a Harvard PhD who waits on tables at a fast food restaurant with dim prospects for the foreseeable future.

Relevant to American society today, Stoner Pizza is a tragic, reflective, satirical and thoughtful look at lost dreams and opportunities and settling for less in the affluent country of America today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jack Sholl
• Release date: May 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310695575

Jack Sholl

Jack Sholl is a former journalist and national editor with The Associated Press in New York and has worked for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. He is the author of a number of screenplays and other works. He lives in Florida.

Book preview

Stoner Pizza

Jack Sholl

© 2014 by Jack Sholl

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business, companies, products, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

ISBN-13: 978-1495291289

ISBN-10: 1495291286

WGA Registered.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author.

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Characters

Helen Trayne – Mother of Tommy Trayne

Fred Trayne–Father of Tommy Trayne

TV Newscaster

Tommy Trayne – Stoner Pizza employee

Rafeal

Register Girl

Gwen – Girlfriend of Tommy

Sonia – Friend of Gwen

Burger Boys and Fries Girls

Burger Boy

Fries Girl

Burger Boy Two

Burger Boy Three

Rodrico – Pizza server

Edward- Pizza server

Tony – Pizza chef

Grant – Pizza server

Walter

Construction Worker

Secretary

Businessman

Black Guy

Teenage Girl One

Teenage Girl Two

Couple: Man, Woman

Dork Geek One

Dork Geek Two

Hipster Couple

Slovenly Woman

Child

Tommy Avatar

Griselda Avatar

Desiree

Tavern Wench

Milford

Regional Manager

Franchise Owner-Manager

Sis – Tommy’s sister

Pizza Slave

Griselda Real

Christopher – 70’s Hippie

Act I

(A lower-class apartment in a suburban neighborhood next to a strip mall. At center of living room are a couch and two chairs and a TV set. A small bookshelf with various bric-a-brac and a large pile of small papers is by the couch. The door to the living room is left. Downstage at left on a raised platform, a bedroom. At right, a dining room with a table, chairs and a hutch filled with plates and other bric-a-brac. The door to the kitchen is farther to the right. HELEN and FRED TRAYNE, both in the mid-60s, sit in the chairs across from the TV. Fred reads a newspaper and Helen opens junk mail.)

HELEN: It’s probably about dinnertime.

FRED: Yup.

HELEN: Whatcha want?

(No answer. Continues reading newspaper.)

HELEN (musing): I could heat up some hot dogs. You always like them and maybe some beans with? Or I could make some macaroni and cheese. But we had that the other night.

FRED (still reading newspaper, not looking up): Maybe Tommy’ll bring something home.

HELEN: Yes. But you know we always can’t count on it.

FRED (irritably): Yeah, these young people today…why when I was their age…

HELEN: Let’s see what’s on TV. The news is probably on.

(Helen walks to the TV set, turns it on, and sits down.)

VOICE OF TV NEWSCASTER (O.S.): In economic news today, the Labor Department reports the unemployment rate has dropped to near zero. Analysts say that’s because so many people have dropped out of the workforce no one’s looking for jobs anymore. The White House points to the low rate as the result of the President’s plan to cut government spending and outsource everything to the private sector.

FRED (to the TV): Don’t tax and don’t spend. That’s all I ever hear anymore. What ever happened to spend and don’t tax? Or even tax and spend? (Beat.) See what’s on the other channel.

(Helen changes channels as a blur of BURGER and BEER COMMERCIALS blare. The door opens into the living room and Tommy, 16, enters. He wears a white striped waiters vest and white paper chef’s hat, chinos and sneakers. A thin red open tie dangles from the collar of his shirt. He holds